The developments described herein relate to an article of footwear with artwork visible through the sole of the footwear, and a method by which artwork may be displayed through the sole of the footwear.
The process of boot or shoe manufacturing utilizing a Goodyear welt has existed since at least 1871. It is a manner in which boots have been constructed since that time.
Generally speaking, in the Goodyear welting process, the upper part of a shoe is shaped over a last and fastened to the inner and upper sole by sewing a welt (i.e. a leather strip or other suitable material). As well as using a welt, a thread 12 strands thick may be used. The sole is then attached to the welt of the shoe with a high strength adhesive.
Heretofore, visible soles or artwork on the bottom side of products have been seen on skateboards, snowboards and in various examples, skate shoes. For example, a transparent medium can be used to display a variety of images on the side of the shoe or on an interchangeable tongue on a lace-up shoe. A clear sole may be used to provide an internal view of the fit of the shoe, as opposed to a means to display art. A clear sole may also be used to display various artwork in the context of a cemented outsole, but not in a boot or shoe utilizing the Goodyear welt process.
A multi layer sole, using a translucent exterior layer, is also known, however, it also uses cemented construction and shows underlying colors and patterns, rather than artwork. Furthermore, the design features cemented construction, rather than Goodyear welted construction. Other types of footwear may have a transparent bottom over a basic sole pattern. The use of a rubber outsole to provide durability is known in the art for example, boots which uses welted construction and a black rubber outsole to increase durability.
Thus, it may be desirable to have a sturdy, durable item of footwear, made by a process that results in a well-made shoe or boot, that incorporates an individualized graphic or piece of artwork that can be incorporated into and displayed on the bottom or sole of the footwear.